We are living fewer years in good health: Is the NHS part of the problem?

• Key Takeaways for UK Doctors
• Healthy life expectancy is declining in the UK – patients are spending increasing years living with chronic disease and disability, requiring a shift in NHS focus from acute treatment to prevention and long-term condition management.
• Systemic NHS pressures may be contributing – underfunding, workforce shortages, and reduced preventive services are compromising early intervention capacity, allowing preventable conditions to progress unchecked.
• Primary care and public health investment are critical – reversing this trend requires strengthening community-based prevention, early detection programmes, and management of modifiable risk factors before they develop into serious conditions.

What is driving the UK's fall in healthy life expectancy?

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